Four years after they were handed some of the most severe sanctions in NCAA history, USC administrators on Tuesday celebrated their official end.

USC's football program is now officially clear of the scholarship reductions and probation that the NCAA meted out in 2010, as punishment for alleged misdeeds by star tailback Reggie Bush and his family.

``All of us in the USC athletic department want to extend our sincere appreciation to our fans and donors for their continued support during our probation years,'' Athletic Director Pat Haden said in a statement. ``We know it has not been easy for them, but the unwavering support of the Trojan Family is what makes USC the special place it is.''

The Trojans, essentially, were allowed to return to full strength immeadiately after signing day in February, but they'll be feeling the effects of sanctions for the next couple years.

As part of the punishment, USC was docked a total of 30 scholarships over a three-year period. The Trojans can now sign full scholarship classes of 25, but likely won't be able to reach a full roster size until 2016.

LOS ANGELES -- It appears as though there will not be another summer of indecision at USC.

Coach Steve Sarkisian expressed confidence that he will be able to name Cody Kessler or Max Browne as his starting quarterback before spring practice wraps up with a April 19 scrimmage at the Coliseum.

''I would suspect that we’ll do it before the end of spring,’’ Sarkisian said after Tuesday’s practice.

There’s scarce evidence, on or off the field, to suggest that Browne will unseat Kessler, the junior who won the job last September and led USC to 10 wins during a season in which it had three head coaches.

Kessler and Browne have shared reps this spring, along with freshman Jalen Greene, but Kessler has received the plurality of the first-team reps. For Sarkisian to declare, after only 10 of 15 spring practices, that he feels close to announcing a starter, almost certainly means that he intends to stick with Kessler.

Marqise Lee and Robert Woods stood on the Coliseum sideline Saturday, but neither held a torch.

That has already been passed, at least symbolically, to Nelson Agholor, who now holds the title of Great Wide Hope on the USC offense. A long-legged, dynamic receiver, Agholor will be critical to the success of USC’s offense in 2014, and he got off to a good start Saturday afternoon during a brief scrimmage.

Agholor caught a 65-yard touchdown from Cody Kessler and made several other impressive catch-and-run plays, then drew hearty praise from Coach Steve Sarkisian for his ''professional approach to the game.’’

''The sky is the limit for Nelson,’’ Kessler said. ''He has learned, and he know what it takes to be one of the top receivers, not only to play this year but to ever play here. He definitely has that potential.’’

Agholor has waited his turn. He was a freshman in 2012, when Woods was USC’s featured receiver, and a sophomore last year when Lee drew most of the on-field attention, if not the biggest numbers.

Coach Steve Sarkisian said USC will have morning practices during the 2014 season, most likely from the range of 8:15-10:15 a.m.

USC has traditionally held afternoon practices, usually starting at 4 p.m. Former coach Lane Kiffin held morning practices during the 2012 season, then switched back to afternoons in 2013 after USC went 7-6. Sarkisian held morning practices when he coached at Washington.

When hired in December, Sarkisian spoke enthusiastically about allowing people to watch the Trojans practice, but he is expected to import the same rules he had at Washington. Media members were allowed to watch only the first 20 minutes of practice (usually warmups), then return close to the end.

Also, USC will practice at the Coliseum on Saturday for the first time this spring. Sarkisian said the team will have a brief period of tackling drills, something it did not have in the first five spring practices.

Sarkisian previously said he did not know whether USC would have any tackling drills this spring.

Several USC players and coaches said they haven’t yet paid attention to the ruling that might allow college football players to unionize and collectively bargain for benefits beyond their annual scholarships.

''I have to figure out which one of our players is going to come to me as our union rep,’’ joked Coach Steve Sarkisian, who added that he hadn’t had time to study the idea of a college union.

The National Labor Relations Board ruled Wednesday that players should be allowed to join the College Athletes Players Association. This case was brought to the NLRB by the newly created association, along with former Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter and the United Steelworkers union.

USC officials have stressed that many of the benefits sought in the Northwestern case, such as improved medical treatment and scholarship stability, are already provided by USC.

''In terms of health benefits and stipends,’’ Athletic Director Pat Haden said in a statement, ''we provide the maximum allowed under NCAA rules, but we would love the opportunity to do more, especially when it comes to feeding student-athletes.’’

Perhaps, instead of a mid-practice water break, USC’s defensive backs should get nap time.

The Trojans are young in the secondary this spring. One freshman (cornerback Chris Hawkins) and two sophomores (safeties Su’a Cravens and Leon McQuay) are holding down starting spots, although that will change in the fall, when senior cornerback Josh Shaw recovers from a stress fracture in his left foot.

Shaw walked around the practice field Thursday without a protective boot for the first time this spring, but coaches still don’t know whether he will be able to participate in drills this spring.

They’d like him to, but they’re also happy giving reps to Hawkins and Kevon Seymour, particularly since Cravens and McQuay seem to be holding down the safety spots nicely.

Cravens started at safety for most of last season and McQuay contributed in a reserve role and played special teams. As sophomores, secondary coach Keith Heyward said, they will need to show more.